National Local Government Conference and National Delegates Conference - June 2006

National Local Government Conference

Our motions were:

Motion 8 - Increase in fuel price - negotiations. Moved by Roger Spackman.
Motion 27 - Local Government restructuring - moved by Roberto Franceschini

National Delegates Conference

Our motions were:

Motion 38 - on the Turner Report - moved by Roberto Franceschini
Motion 70 - Affordable Child care delivered by properly trained and fairly paid childcare workers - moved by Moira Macdonald

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Highlights:

National Delegate Conference hold the 'most important debate ever'.

The first day of the conference opened with the Chair of Standing Orders, our own Clytus Williams from the South West region, kicking off with a humorous joke about football. It was to prove the theme for his subsequent reports.

On the Conference floor, Steve Mills, City of Bristol speaking on motion 25 - Under-funding of Social Care, made an impassioned speech telling conference about the harmful impact in Bristol of outsourcing and poor funding. He called for investment in strategies to ensure quality care provision in the public sector.

The key debate on public services in the afternoon saw South West NEC member, Steve Warwick, as eloquent as ever in the defence of public services.

But perhaps the most moving of speakers from the South West yesterday afternoon was Roger Davies from the Swindon and Wiltshire Health Branch, stating that the debate on the NHS Modernisation was the most important debate we have ever had at Conference. He said this might be his last conference because of likely redundancies over the next 12 months. He described the largest demonstrations ever held in Wiltshire over the closure of 6 hospitals and urged everyone to attend the next demonstration in Trowbridge Park on Saturday 15 Jul 06.

Our International Lunch was as ever an opportunity to show solidarity with our comrades in the international trade union movement and for all delegates to talk informally with some of the overseas guests. It provided a chance to understand the hardships and conflict that face many of our colleagues from other countries, and the impact that oppressive regimes have on daily lives. It was perhaps a unique moment when Aharon Sassoon from Histadrut, an Israeli born in Iraq, now living in Israel, was speaking in Arabic about peace and reconciliation, with his Palestinian counterpart, Abdalhakim Shibani from PGFTU, seated beside him, and translation by an Iraqi interpreter - All showing respect for each other.

But this was not as moving as the first speech of Wednesday morning when Tabitha Khumalo from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions spoke. There was, in the words of our President 'hardly a dry eye in the house' when Tabitha received a prolonged standing ovation for her hard hitting speech that highlighted the plight of women in her country. Despite having been arrested, tortured and gang raped, she was still able to speak out at great personal risk with the words 'I will not let that dictator sentence us to death'. Somehow it puts our own problems into perspective.

Global Warming Concerns Highlighted by South West Delegates

Global warming is now accepted by all scientists all over the world as fact.

Rosie McGregor, South West Regional Representative, (West Wiltshire Branch) highlighted a frightening picture with clarify and passion - talking of reduction of energy waste being a must; an increase in natural resources for energy production; and damming nuclear energy. Rosie held the Conference to full attention and spelt out the immediate dangers with total commitment. It was a well delivered speech which carried the motion as amended by Tony Staunton who also delivered a very valid point with his usual vigour and dedication. His amendment was backed by Nigel Behan with clarity and commitment.

South West Delegates played a significant part in debating and moving important motions this year.

Conference Agrees - Privatisation Doesn't Work!

Shami Chakribarti of Liberty spoke calmly but firmly about the threat to the Human Rights Act and the civil liberties and individual freedoms posed by current Government policy. She condemned the introductions of identity cards which will be divisory and a further infringement of personal freedoms. It was an inspirational speech.

Tony Staunton in the ensuing debate on identity cards, Motion 51 moved the amendment 51.1 on behalf of Plymouth City Branch in his usual style on an issue he has been campaigning against from the start. The motion was carried with the amendment. Bob Johnson of Swindon Local Government, who had challenged the lack of any reference to Health and Safety in the Annual Report, spoke on the debate on Learning and Organisation, Motion 4, on the importance of education within Branches and invited other Branches to share experiences. The motion was carried.

Anne Price, South West Regional Representative, moved motion 91 'A Patient-Led NHS', which had fallen off the end of the agenda on the previous day. It was an impassioned speech with the strong message 'private doesn't work' and 'keep us all safe' - her first conference speech and clearly a star performer. The motion was carried.

The afternoon debate on Pensions following a video of 28 March industrial action provided some of the most animated speeches of the Conference so far. Polarised views were aired with forceful arguments from both sides. This was democracy in action with the debate interrupted by the first card vote of conference after a show of hands that was too close to guess the outcome. The debate provided some real political posturing. The outcome of which is that pensions will remain at the forefront of all campaigning to ensure equitable provisions for all our members. Andy Stott, Cornwall County Council, opposed the substantive motion on the grounds that it needed more work and further clarification but Conference took another view and the motion was carried. It may not have been the result he had wanted but it was good to see another South West delegate, and a first time speaker too, being prepared to stand up for something they believe in and put across the key facts with eloquent knowledge. Belinda Burton, Somerset County, on Composite D, Education For All, spoke with authority on the need for a community based comprehensive system. She spoke with feeling in defence of an education system that is accountable for and free of selection and said 'we need to stop privatisation'.

Conference Calls for Peace in the Middle East

Thursday is always one of the most interesting days at Conference. Not only is it the day when we consider rule changes, which can produce some of the most exciting debates, but it is the day when we consider international issues.

This year two guest speakers, one from Palestine and the other from Israel shared the rostrum. Abla Masroujeh, the guest from Palestine, gave a moving speech that highlighted the terror and oppression suffered by her fellow Palestinians, but still hoped for peace and reconciliation.

This was in response to a strongly worded speech from Ophir Elkalay who spoke of the suffering of Israeli citizens from bombings and missile attacks but, nonetheless, called for peace between Israel and Palestine.

This was followed by a moving debate on motion 126, Palestine and Israel, in which delegates told some of their personal stories and their feelings on this heartbreaking situation. This motion was carried with an amendment.

There was similarly heated debate on composite G, No Trident Replacement. This time it was our own Government that came in for heavy criticism. The motion was carried.

Apologies to Steve Warwick for omitting to mention his speech on ID cards. You might wonder how it would be possible to forget someone quite so large as life and twice as beautiful an orator as our NEC member Steve. Quite frankly I was knocked out by it! It was one of the best speeches I've heard him give; hard hitting and complete with a joke in his own inimitable style and with perfect timing. It went something like this:

'I read a report recently that said ID cards would be 'multi-functional'. What did they mean? Would they double up as "Boots" loyalty cards? If so, will you get double points every time you get stopped and searched?'

The joke and the bitter irony was not lost on Conference and the motion, 51, was carried with an amendment.

Moira Macdonald
Branch Secretary